


A Ritual of our Own

by kristsune



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Blood, Blood Sharing, Ear Piercing, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Other, Pack Bonding, qpr, queer platonic relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:20:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23633752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/pseuds/kristsune
Summary: Grizzop and Vesseek exchange something intimate before Grizzop has to leave.
Relationships: Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam/Vesseek
Comments: 14
Kudos: 39





	A Ritual of our Own

**Author's Note:**

  * For [areyouokaypanda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/areyouokaypanda/gifts).



> This is for my favorite discord server, but it's especially for Panda, because this wouldn't have happened without her [beautiful art <3 ](https://kristsune.tumblr.com/post/614202938387251200/areyouokaypanda-so-i-got-inspired-the-other-day)  
> Shout out to howshouldiknowboutlife for the help with the title <3

Grizzop and Vesseek were sat facing each other, cross legged on the floor. There was a tray that Vesseek had snagged from the kitchens, with a needle, and four earrings that Grizzop just placed on top of it. 

“You’re sure you want to do this?” Grizzop asked.

Vesseek rolled their eyes, “My Grizzy friend, my excellent Zop, I already told you yes, why would I change my mind  _ now _ ?”

Grizzop felt his cheeks heat slightly, “I don’t know! I just wanted to double check.”

“You’re leaving tomorrow, for your big hunt; to finish your training, neither of us know when you’re going to be back. I want something I can have from you, with me, always. So yes. I would still like to do this.” 

Vesseek’s ears were still back and relaxed, as ever. Ruffling Vesseek was almost impossible. While Grizzop could feel his right ear tilt down, while simultaneously wanting to vibrate out of his skin at the reminder that he’d be leaving the next day. He  _ wanted _ to go, he wanted to be a paladin, to hunt down the liars, and cheats, and criminals, to be a force of  _ good _ in the world, but it meant he had to leave Vesseek behind. 

Instead of voicing any of that, again, Grizzop just nodded, “Okay. Who first?” 

“You first.” Vesseek answered quickly with a sharp grin.

“You just want to stab me with a needle.”

They shrugged, “So what if I do? You agreed to it.”

Grizzop just smiled at them. When Vesseek was right, they were right. 

Vesseek picked up the needle and one of the earrings, and held them in the candle flame for a few moments before pulling it out and wiping it off on a clean cloth, “Still towards the end?”

“Yes, please.” Grizzop was having a difficult time staying still. Not because he was nervous, or thought it would hurt or anything like that. It just felt like there was electricity buzzing under his skin, like he should be moving.  _ Next step, next step, next step. _

Vesseek stood up fluidly and took the few steps they needed to stand next to Grizzop’s right side. They ran their hand along Grizzop’s ear, and he couldn’t suppress the shudder that passed through him. This wasn’t the first time they had touched each other’s ears, but it never failed to feel extraordinarily intimate. 

“Oh, what in the… is this  _ another _ tear in your ear?” Both of Grizzop’s ears would have drooped down, if Vesseek hadn’t been holding one of them to inspect it. 

“It got caught on a branch last training session, the high priestess healed it for me, but not before it split.”

Vesseek just sighed, scolding Grizzop to take better care of his ears was not a new thing. It was part of why Grizzop wanted the earrings towards the ends of his ears, so he could clip them out of the way when he needed to, hopefully to keep this from happening more often. 

They found the spot that would be best, and held his ear taught, “Ready?”

“Yes.”

Vesseek didn’t bother counting down, when Grizzop said he was ready, he meant it. They stabbed the needle through, and quickly placed the gold hoop through the hole left behind to make sure there was as little bleeding as possible, which seemed to only be mildly successful. Grizzop hadn’t even flinched, the tear he got recently hurt more than that. 

Vesseek sterilized the other earring, before repeating the process on the other side. Again with the gentle stroke along the top edge of his ear, and the careful inspection, to make sure the piercings would be even on both sides, but minus the criticism of his obviously lacking ear care. 

Vesseek sat down again, “How do they feel?”

Grizzop shifted his ears around a bit, and he could feel the slight added weight, but it was pleasant, a reminder of his partner.

“Good.” He smiled at Vesseek, “Thank you.” 

Vesseek smiled back, “Okay, my turn.” 

Grizzop picked up the needle and went to clean his blood off of it, but Vesseek’s hand stopped his mid motion. “Leave it. Just do the earring.”

Grizzop felt an emotion swell in his chest that he couldn’t accurately describe, but it was almost overwhelming, and he just took a moment to rest his free hand on Vesseek’s cheek, and pressed their foreheads together. Sharing something so intimate, and special, only reinforcing their bond.

After a few deep breaths, Grizzop leaned back so he could run the silver earrings through the flame. He moved to Vesseek’s left side first, mirroring their movements from earlier, and running his hand along their ear. Vesseek sighed softly, eyes fluttering closed as his hand traced the soft edge of their ear, both so similar, and so different from his own. 

Vesseek had already talked at length where they wanted their earrings - in the lower lobe of the ear - so Grizzop didn’t need to confirm that. “Ready?”

“As ever.”

Grizzop smirked before pressing the needle quickly through Vesseek’s ear. That feeling in his chest was back full force at the thought of their blood mingling. Vesseek had said they wanted something of Grizzop with them always, he just hadn’t initially realized that this was what they had meant. He slid the silver hoop through, and repeated the process on the other side.

After he was done he placed the needle back on the tray, and sat next to Vesseek, knees brushing each other. “Good?”

Vesseek gently brushed the silver hoop before turning, and smiling, “Yeah. Very good.”

Grizzop leaned sideways, resting his head on their shoulder, careful of both of their new piercings. Vesseek just wrapped their arm around his shoulders, holding him close. Grizzop was excited for the next stage in his short life, ready to bring justice, and help to those that needed it. But he was glad he had been able to share something like this with Vesseek, and that they would each be able to take something of the other with them when they parted, always having that reminder of pack, no matter where they were, or how far apart they were.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to stop by and say hi over on [tumblr](https://kristsune.tumblr.com/) and [twitter!](https://twitter.com/Kristsune)


End file.
